Scratch-off cards

ABSTRACT

Cards and tickets with scratch-off or other removable material present on both faces, as well as methods of making such cards and tickets, are detailed. The cards and tickets, when used as game cards, are designed to provide extended-play games without requiring additional paper or storage space beyond that presently required for single-play games.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to game cards and more particularly,although not exclusively, to cards and lottery tickets havingscratch-off or other removable material on multiple faces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Numerous types of card games and lottery tickets have beendeveloped for use. One such type of lottery ticket is disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 6,076,860 to Holman, et al., whose contents are incorporatedherein in their entirety by this reference. Detailed in the Holmanpatent is a ticket having two transparent layers atop one face of asubstrate, one layer being colored and not adapted to be scratched-offand the other layer being clear and adapted to be scratched-off so as toremove both layers. According to the Holman patent, use of the duallayers provides visual indication as to which numbers of a “Bingo” gameare being played and which are not.

[0003] U.S. Pat. No. 5,544,881 to Rua, Jr., et al., also incorporatedherein in its entirety by this reference, illustrates another type oflottery ticket principally for use as part of a “Bingo” game. Includedon one face of a substrate of the Rua, Jr. patent are coatings that maybe marked either with “common writing instruments” or “merely by rubbingwith ordinary U.S. coins.” Such coatings additionally may allow markingsto be erased. See Rua, Jr., col. 2, 11. 42-45 and 62-66.

[0004] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,887,906, 6,270,406, and 6,273,817 to Sultan, thecontents of each of which are incorporated herein in their entireties bythis reference, disclose additional types of lottery games or tickets.Contained on a face of these types of tickets are both scratch-offmaterial and security codes, the latter present in a bar code format ora magnetic strip. The security codes themselves optionally may becovered with a scratch-off coating.

[0005] Yet other types of game cards with scratch-off materials aredisclosed in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,440 to Farag, et al.,whose contents also are incorporated herein in their entirety. Includedon a face of a substrate of the Farag patent are both scratch-offmaterial and a selectively-employed release coating. Because thescratch-off material adheres directly to the substrate in areas lackingrelease coating, scratching the card may create either symbols or thebackground for symbols.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,794 to Scrymgeour, et al., finally, describesadditional types of lottery tickets. Like the tickets described earlier,one face of each ticket of the Scrymgeour patent contains indiciacovered by scratch-off material. However, rather than having blankreverses or printing mere rules-oriented textual information thereon,the reverses of the two-ply tickets of the Scrymgeour patent include“openable windows.” Opening such windows permits viewing of indiciaprinted on rear surfaces of upper portions of the tickets, providingadditional information used to determine whether particular tickets are“winners” or otherwise associated with awards. The Scrymgeour patentlikewise is incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference.

[0007] Lacking from existing commercial game cards and tickets is anycontemplation of including scratch-off or other removable material onboth faces of the cards and tickets. Indeed, prior attempts at creating“extended play” tickets with two scratch-off games typically were twiceas large as regular tickets, as both games were presented on the sameface of the tickets. This resulted from the configurations of printingunits presently employed, in which scratch-off coatings are availablefor only one face of the tickets. Because these extended-play ticketswere twice as large as regular tickets, they required twice the amountof paper (or other substrate) to be used and twice the amount ofdispenser or storage space prior to being dispensed to consumers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0008] The present invention, by contrast, provides game cards andtickets with scratch-off (or other removable) materials printed on bothfaces of the cards and tickets. Games associated with the scratch-offmaterials may be related or independent; regardless, however, the amountof paper or other substrate needed to create such games is approximatelythe same as that needed to create existing non-extended play tickets.Cards and tickets of the present invention thus need not requireadditional paper or dispenser or storage space, unlike conventionalextended-play games.

[0009] Processing of cards and tickets of the present invention likewiseproceeds differently than does processing of conventional tickets.Conventional printing processes for these tickets use three principalsets of print stations: one for the release coatings, one for thescratch-off materials, and one for any overprinting. The presentinvention, by contrast, uses six principal sets of stations as well as aweb-turning device. After printing and coatings are applied to one faceof the web using the initial sets of print stations, the web is turnedor otherwise appropriately positioned and printing and coatings areapplied to the opposite face of the web using the remaining sets ofprint stations.

[0010] Although preferred embodiments of cards and tickets of thepresent invention include both release coatings (between scratch-offmaterials and the substrates) and overprinting (atop any of thescratch-off materials, release coatings, or substrate), either or bothmay be omitted if desired. Similarly, even if used neither the releasecoatings nor the overprinting need be present on both faces of thecards. Generally, however, scratch-off or other removable material willbe present on both faces.

[0011] It thus is an optional, non-exclusive object of the presentinvention to provide innovative cards and tickets.

[0012] It is also an optional, non-exclusive object of the presentinvention to provide cards and tickets containing multiple scratch-offmaterials.

[0013] It is another optional, non-exclusive object of the presentinvention to provide cards and tickets in which scratch-off materialappears on each opposed face of the cards and tickets.

[0014] It further is an optional, non-exclusive object of the presentinvention to provide multi-play game cards and tickets that require nomore substrate or storage or dispensing space than do conventionalsingle-play cards and tickets.

[0015] It is, moreover, an optional, non-exclusive object of the presentinvention to provide methods for producing cards and tickets withscratch-off material present on opposed faces.

[0016] Other objects, features, and advantages of the present inventionwill be apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to theremaining text and drawings of this application.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] FIGS. 1A-B are plan views of opposite faces of an exemplary cardor ticket of the present invention.

[0018]FIG. 2 is an edge view of an exemplary card or ticket structuredsimilar to that of FIG. 1, with aspects of the card or ticketexaggerated for clarity.

[0019]FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of part of an exemplaryprocess and equipment used to make the cards or tickets of FIGS. 1-2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0020] FIGS. 1A-B detail ticket or card 10 of the present invention.Throughout this description, the terms “ticket” and “card” may be usedinterchangeably. The invention is sufficiently broad to cover both“tickets” and “cards,” as well as similar objects however characterized.

[0021] As depicted in FIGS. 1A-B, card 10 may include opposite faces 14and 18 of a substrate 20 (see FIG. 2). In the illustrated embodiment,face 14 contains removable portion 22 and other portion 26. Face 18,likewise, contains a removable portion 30 and may include anotherportion 34 as well. Hence, unlike analogous conventional cards, card 10includes two scratch-off (or other removable) portions notwithstandingthat its size is equivalent to those of cards currently incorporatingonly a single scratch-off portion on one face. Of course, those skilledin the art will recognize that more than one removable portion mayappear on each of faces 14 and 18 if desired, although beneficially atleast one such removable portion is included on each face 14 and 18.

[0022] In preferred embodiments of the invention, removable portions 22and 30 constitute games played by scratching off, or otherwise removing,material to reveal previously-hidden information. Alternatively, theycould comprise coupons, for example, or other devices as appropriate ordesired. Games or other devices embodied in portions 22 and 30 need notbe related in any way and indeed may be of different types. By contrast,games or devices embodied in portions 22 and 30 could be associated orrelated in some manner or share some characteristics of their structureor play.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1A-B, removable portions 22 and 30 need not bepositioned identically on their respective faces 14 and 18. Removableportion 22, for example, is illustrated as positioned toward theleft-hand edge 38 of face 14, while removable portion 30 is morecentrally located on face 18. Those skilled in the art will, of course,recognize that portions 22 and 30 may be positioned on faces 14 and 18in locations other than as shown in FIGS. 1A-B.

[0024] Also detailed in FIGS. 1A-B is optional overprinting 42 and 46.In the exemplary version of face 14 shown in FIG. 1A, overprinting 42comprises the phrase “SCRATCH AND WIN!” printed in removable portion 22together with a series of “GAME RULES” printed in other portion 26.Overprinting 46 (FIG. 1B) likewise comprises the phrase “SCRATCH ANDWIN!,” albeit printed in removable portion 30, together with a series of“GAME RULES” and “PROMOTIONAL INFORMATION” printed in other portion 34.Overprinting 42 or 46 may, however, by modified or omitted in whole orin part.

[0025]FIG. 2 illustrates, in exaggerated form, components of anexemplary card 10. Detailed as present in removable portion 22 arerelease coating 50, on which removable material 54 is coated, printed,or otherwise placed, and overprinting 42 printed atop removable material54. Shown in dotted lines in other portion 26 are release coating 50 andoverprinting 42 which, as noted above, optionally may be omitted.Removable material 54 preferably is a latex or similar materialconventionally used for scratch-off purposes. It could, however, be anyremovable ink or other suitable material.

[0026] Similarly, FIG. 2 discloses presence in removable area 30 ofrelease coating 58, removable material 62, and overprinting 46.Removable material 62 is atop release coating 58, while overprinting 46is atop the removable material 62. Again, shown in dotted lines in otherportion 34 are release coating 58 and overprinting 46. Removableportions 22 and 30 of card 10 need not be configured identically asshown in FIG. 2, though, as either or both of release coatings 50 and58, and either or both of overprinting 42 and 46, may be omitted.Likewise, even if present, either or both of release coatings 50 and 58,and either or both of overprinting 42 and 46, may be positioned on faces14 and 18 other than as depicted in FIG. 2.

[0027] Alternatively, card 10 could comprise two substrates with theirfaces 18 attached (i.e. so that faces 14 would form the opposite sidesof the card 10). Such card thus could include removable material 54 onboth external faces 14. Nevertheless, this alternative version of card10 is not preferred, as the amount of substrate required is twice thatof the embodiment of card 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1-2.

[0028]FIG. 3 shows, in schematicized form, some of the operations andequipment that could be used for forming card 10. Consistent with FIG.3, a paper or other web W of substrate 20 may be fed into a series ofprint stations (denominated “A,” “B,” and “C”), one set each to supplyany release coating 50, removable material 54, and overprinting 46 forface 14. Thereafter web W may be repositioned, using rollers orotherwise, so that the positions of faces 14 and 18 are reversed. Web Wthereafter is fed into a second series of print stations (“D,” “E,” and“F” in FIG. 3), one set each to supply any release coating 58, removablematerial 62, and overprinting 46 to face 18. Web W may then be fed tosuitable perforating and finishing equipment for demarcation of cards10. Web W typically remains as an integral web and is rolled for storageand subsequent dispersal of cards 10 to retail consumers. Alternatively,however, web 10 may be cut into cards 10, or sets of cards 10, prior todistribution to intermediaries or consumers.

[0029] The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating,explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Furthermodifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent tothose skilled in the art and may be made without departing from thescope or spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A card comprising: a. first and second opposedfaces; and b. removable material applied to each of the first and secondfaces.
 2. A card according to claim 1 further comprising a first releasecoating applied to the first face.
 3. A card according to claim 2 inwhich at least part of the removable material is scratch-off materialapplied atop the first release coating.
 4. A card according to claim 3further comprising overprinting applied atop the scratch-off material.5. A card according to claim 4 further comprising information hidden bythe scratch-off material and revealed when the scratch-off material isremoved.
 6. A card according to claim 2 further comprising a secondrelease coating applied to the second face.
 7. A card according to claim6 in which the scratch-off material is also applied atop the secondrelease coating.
 8. A single-ply game card comprising: a. first andsecond opposed faces; b. first information appearing on the first face;c. second information appearing on the second face; d. a first releasecoating applied atop at least a portion of the first information; e. asecond release coating applied atop at least a portion of the secondinformation; f. first removable material applied atop at least a portionof the first release coating so as to obscure from view at least aportion of the first information; and g. second removable materialapplied atop at least a portion of the second release coating so as toobscure from view at least a portion of the second information.
 9. Agame card according to claim 8 in which the first removable materialcomprises first scratch-off material and the second removable materialcomprises second scratch-off material.
 10. A game card according toclaim 9 further comprising third information appearing atop the firstscratch-off material.
 11. A game card according to claim 10 furthercomprising fourth information appearing atop the second scratch-offmaterial.
 12. A game card according to claim 8 in which the first andsecond information differ.
 13. A game card according to claim 11 inwhich the third and fourth information differ.
 14. A method of making acard, the method comprising: a. providing a substrate having first andsecond opposed faces; b. applying a release coating to each of the firstand second faces; and c. applying removable material atop the releasecoatings applied to the first and second faces.